


Tea with the Queen

by sugarcomatosed



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Gen, Grief and Healing, Post Game, Reflection, Reunions, back dated work, tw you almost killed your gf's sister in law at one point
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23780563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarcomatosed/pseuds/sugarcomatosed
Summary: Cormag wasn't still very sure that coming to Frelia was the correct call...he was even less sure that having tea with Frelia's soon to be Queen was a good idea.
Relationships: (which are as follows), Cugar | Cormag/Turner | Tana, Eirika & Cormag, Eirika/Heanius | Innes, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Tea with the Queen

Cormag was still getting his footing in Frelia. Tana put him at ease, but still it was…different from Grado. Of course, the court was still trying to settle down. His timing for arrival had perhaps been…bad. 

There was nothing like meeting the soon to be crowned King as he returned from his honeymoon. Innes had stared at him and then immediately removed his sister from the room to discuss things with her, privately.

Princess, or rather soon to be Queen, Eirika had stayed with him.

“…It’s nice to see you again, Cormag.” She said after a moment of silence in which they had stared at the door her husband and sister in law had departed through.

Remembering his manners, he bowed to her. “Your majesty.”

“Oh, please. You don’t have to be so formal. Please, stand.”

Cormag stood and for the first time took a good look at the soon to be Queen. He had never seen her out of armor before. The entire situation was the opposite of their first meeting in which he had pointed a lance at her and challenged her to a duel.

Eirika did not bring up that meeting but he felt acutely aware of it. A few years had passed and the time had done her good. War had wreaked havoc on the princess. Her face had been thin, there had been a soldier’s blood splattered on her armor, and even he had known upon seeing her that the war was crushing her. She was not a warrior by birth. Still, she had not crumpled when he had confronted her. She drew her strength and held firm, and kind despite all.

That battlefield felt like a lifetime ago to him standing in the sunlit room of Castle Frelia. Eirika’s face was less thin, her armor had been traded for a silk gown, there was not a drop of blood on her, and she smiled at him as if he were an old friend. Not a soldier who had joined for revenge.

“Would you like to sit?” Eirika asked. “I can call for tea.”

“…That won’t be necessary, your majesty. Thank you though.”

She frowned. “Sit at least, they may be a minute. I’ll call for tea anyway. ” She moved and he followed.

He wasn’t sure what to say. He could talk to Tana easily, but Tana was…Tana. She talked a lot about Eirika though. So he knew a good deal about her, and she probably knew a good deal about him.

“….Congratulations on you marriage. I heard the news even before Tana came. ” Cormag said, as he didn’t know what else to speak about.

“Thank you,” Eirika beamed. “Have you been in Frelia long?”

“…a few days now.” He replied. “It’s…different than Grado.”

“For sure,” Eirika mused. “Different than Renais too. I’ve never lived so close to the sea.” They lapsed into silence for a moment.

The tea arrived and Cormag pondered what to do. Eirika quietly filled her cup and then before he could protest poured him some as well.

“…It’s different but,” Eirika continued as she added some cubes of sugar to her tea. “it’s a little easier in a way.” She stirred her cup methodically. “Renais is my home, it always will be.” She said firmly. “My marriage has only strengthened the ties to Frelia we had. I haven’t left forever…but perhaps it’ll be easier to finish healing here.”

Despite it all, the Princess he had met in the midst of a war with a warrior’s weight on her shoulders still lived inside the Queen who sat across from him.

A woman who carried a weight not too dissimilar to his own he imagined.

“…Perhaps.” Cormag mumbled in agreement. He took a drink from the cup she’d poured him. “We’ll have to wait and see, your majesty.”

“…Tana talks about you often. Did you know that?” Eirika suddenly asked.

He blinked. He did not. “She speaks of you to me.” He replied as if that made the topic easier. Eirika chuckled.

“It’s funny, we were inseparable as girls and now we’re sisters. Life unfolds in odd ways.”

An almost sly look passed over her features, he was nearly sure he imagined it. “Before I forget,” Eirika began.

“Congratulations on your knighthood.” Eirika smiled. She twisted her wedding ring. “It’s an honor to have you in our service. I hope my sister can rely on you.”

If he didn’t know better Cormag thought, he’d think she was teasing him. Certainly she wasn’t.

“Oh, you’re having tea?” Tana’s voice cut through the room.  
Her brother followed with a sour expression. Cormag stood immediately. Somehow he didn’t think having tea with Innes’s wife would do much to improve the future king’s opinion of him.

“I didn’t know how long you’d be.” Eirika explained. “I’ll call for more settings,”

“I have work to attend to,” Innes announced. He raked one hand through his hair. “We’ve been away and I’d like to catch up on it all-“

Eirika rolled her eyes and got to her feet. “I take it Tana won the argument then?” She placed her hands on her hips.

Cormag looked to Tana for an explanation. Tana looked smug in response.

“There was no argument.” Innes grumbled. “I’m going to find Father.” He stopped for a moment and glanced at Cormag.

“We’ll have a talk later when I have less to deal with.” Innes said sharply. “But I believe your skills are satisfactory as a vassal for my sister. Don’t prove me wrong.” He stalked out of the room.

“Innes,” Eirika called after her husband. “Don’t be so contrary! Oh what am I to do with you? He means well, really.” She hurried after him, calling his name again.

Cormag looked to Tana.

“…I did win the argument.” She informed him with a bright eyed smile.

**Author's Note:**

> As part of a promise to myself and to celebrate FE's 30th birthday I'm posting some stuff from the years I didn't post fic. Which would be 2015-2018-ish. There was no editing done tot his since then minus fixing a typo I noticed while reskimming it. I would edit it to fit with my better writing/more recent style choices which...really isn't that different. 
> 
> I have a lot of a lot of FE8 fic in general, a lot of Innes and Eirika...a loooot but not much I would like to post since it's all scattered. This fic though, I've always really enjoyed. 
> 
> Both an exploration of grief, of two characters I enjoy who I think have an interesting dynamic even sans me shipping them with the Frelia siblings. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it if you're poking in the eight tag! I think I'll toss something new for eight up eventually, even if its just for me.


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